Food Trucks: An Indiana Tradition

In this 1903 publication of the Indianapolis News, famed Indiana cartoonist Frank McKinney Hubbard depicts the mobile kitchen as a turn-of-the-century trend. Over a hundred years later, “every convenience of a culinary nature is [STILL] to be found” in the downtown streets of Indianapolis.

Food is a traditional art of the ages. Cooking in a cubby-hole kitchen on wheels adds a whole new level of artistry to it! In our recent episode of Second Servings, TAI’s podcast series on Indiana foodways, we discovered that while the horse-and-buggy is no longer the preferred method of food vending, droves of people still line up at these roving restaurants for their made-to-order specialties.

Our trip to the First Friday Food Truck Fest was telling. Like in 1903, “it [was] not an uncommon sight to see a belated epicurean munching the mahogany-colored drumstick of a fried chicken bought at one stand while enjoying the fragrance of the coffee of another.” Add gourmet macaroni, breaded pork tenderloins, fried seafood, barbecue, cupcakes, and tacos to the list!